5 Benefits of Implementing Cloud Security Posture Management

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way businesses use IT.  It has enabled small and medium businesses to access high-end IT technology at an affordable cost. However, these platforms come with inherent risks that need to address through the right security approach and strategies. Here we have discussed CSPM as a new approach to cloud security.

What Is CSPM?

Cloud Security Posture Management refers to a new category of security product used to secure cloud environments.  The CSPM monitors the cloud infrastructure continuously and alerts the security personnel about the vulnerabilities and errors that arise from human actions.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 benefits organizations can experience by implementing CSPM.

1. Finding Misconfigurations in Network Connectivity

Security misconfigurations are one of the mistakes in cloud computing that increase the attack surface. Some of the misconfigurations in network connectivity are

• Unrestricted outbound access
• Unrestricted access to HTTP/Non-HTTPS ports
• Unrestricted inbound access on common ports
• Unrestricted ICMP access

CSPM continuously monitors all network communications in real-time.  It comes with the fastest network detection and response technology that can detect any abnormal change in the network connection. CSPM monitors all inbound and outbound ports and their configurations and alerts the security staff about any misconfiguration that could hamper network performance and data security.

2. Detect Accounts With Exceeding Permissions

Identities have a vital role to play in cloud security. Most data breaches in the cloud happen due to excessive permissions to accounts.  Cloud Security Posture Management scans all identities and their associated permissions. If any account has exceeding permissions, it alerts security staff about the liberal account permissions. It also monitors every user activity and sends alerts if any user/identity perform unauthorized actions.

3. Detects Any Policy Violations

Every organization operating in the cloud needs to adhere to the guidelines to keep the cloud infrastructure secure.  Even with security systems in place and best practices followed, there is always a risk of users operating with malicious intentions. CSPM monitors user behavior in practical ways to detect any unusual behavior and raises a red flag.  It uses machine learning and AI algorithms to help security detect any policy violations.

4. Automatically Remedy Misconfigurations in Some Cases

Cloud infrastructure has thousands of security configurations. It can be a humongous task for the security team to assess every security configuration and fixed the wrong configurations immediately to eliminate the risks.

CSPM can automatically detect and remedy some misconfigurations, thereby reducing the security team’s workload and reducing the probability of future attacks. In some scenarios, CSPM raises flags to draw the security team’s attention to fix the misconfigurations.

5. Compliance With Industry-Standard Practices Like HIPPA, PIC, and SOC2

Every business handling data must comply with the rules and regulations laid down by the governing authority. Businesses using cloud platforms must take all security measures to protect data and prevent any leaks of sensitive information.

CSPM monitors all critical elements of cloud platforms like users, network connectivity, ports, and works to secure them from unauthorized access.

To sum up, the cloud’s adoption has proved a boon to SMBs as it provides a new level of performance, flexibility, and productivity. The Cloud Security Posture Management is a new process that continuously monitors the cloud for vulnerabilities and remediates them, thus reducing the probability of future attacks.